Created by R. J. Steward (Xena) and Rob Tapert, and produced by Tapert alongside Sam Raimi (also Xena, Hercules, Evil Dead), we follow Cleo (Jennifer Sky), a nightclub dancer who doesn't wake up after a breast augmentation surgery, only to be "thawed" 500 years later in the year 2525. Finding herself deep underground in "the shafts", humans last remaining civilizations, she must work with two other warriors Hel (Gina Torres) and Sarge (Victoria Pratt) to fight against the evil "Bailey" robots which have killed all on the surface. Extremely cheesy, with terrible writing and acting, the series really skirts the line between parody / satire and just being problematic, but its often played off more like a Xena or similar with the scantily ladies and sexuality turned up to eleven. Airing back to back with Jack of All Trades, also produced by the Tapert+Raimi duo and starring Bruce Campbell, I had previously watched that series so at the chance to view this one I took it. While I don't regret the viewing, its honestly pretty bad. The CGI isn't terrible, but it also isn't good, and everything practical looks like its made of rubber. All the stunts appear to be done by the actors themselves, so props to that, although the fights weren't exactly the craziest choreography; it mostly uses wires and fast moving cameras to feign action. Obviously the directing is extremely Raimi, so if you don't like a constantly moving camera you won't like this, I don't think there's a single two frames that stay still in the entire thing. All said, even as a fun campy background show, I'd certainly take Xena, M. A. N. T. I. S., or even the newer Ash Vs Evil Dead over this any day. That said if you've seen all the others and its just something to check off your list, it does exist.
Review of Cleopatra 2525
